Typically, data centers have a large numbers of racks, each filled with various pieces of electronic components and equipment in data, computing, and/or communication systems. Electronics racks are standard components for mounting a variety of electronic components, such as servers. Multiple assemblies can be mounted in each rack, one above the other. These assemblies typically are supported by a front bezel formed from cut-outs in a flat piece of sheet metal that has clearance holes or slots along its edges to secure the bezel to the rack. Often, these assemblies are mounted relatively close to one another to fill the rack. The electronic components mounted within the rack often generate extreme heat. The heat generated needs to be removed from the rack to avoid overheating the various electronic components. Typically, cooling is provided by a fan that forces air across a heat sink in thermal contact with the temperature-sensitive, heat-producing electronic components.
The rapid increase in data storage and high bandwidth communication driven by Internet expansion is increasing the need for dense interconnection systems in data centers. These data centers are typically composed of rows of racks of servers. These servers need to be in high-bandwidth communication with other servers in the data centers. The high-bandwidth communication can be supported by either shielded electrical cables or increasingly active optical cables. Active optical cables support longer transmission distances and higher transmission bandwidths. An active optical cable typically has an optical engine incorporated into a transceiver on at least one end of the cable. The optical engine transforms electrical signals into optical signals (transmission [Tx] function), and transforms optical signals into electrical signals (receiver [Rx] function). An electronics rack can have hundreds or even thousands of interconnections, each of which generates heat that must be removed from the electronics rack. The inability to remove this heat can result in accelerated aging and/or premature failure of the interconnection of other components in the electronics rack. Therefore, there is a need to provide a cooling system in high speed communication devices that facilitates high-heat removal and dense packaging of the interconnections.